Putin tells FSB to better protect energy sector, warns foes against pushing Moscow too far

MOSCOW, Feb 24 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin ordered the FSB security service on Tuesday to step up protection of Russia’s energy and transport infrastructure in response to attacks on Ukraine that he said were carried out with the help of Western intelligence.

Speaking on the fourth anniversary of the war, Putin said Russia’s enemies would regret it if they pushed Moscow too far.

“They have failed to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield, so the enemy relies on individual and mass terror: This includes bombing cities, sabotaging infrastructure, and assassination attempts on government and military officials,” he told an audience of FSB officials.

“There is an absolute need to beat Russia. They are looking for any way, anything. They will push themselves to the extreme and then they will regret it,” he said.

Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian oil depots, refineries and ports during the war, and Moscow blames Ukraine for a series of assassinations of senior military figures.

In his televised speech, Putin suggested that Russian energy pipelines under the Black Sea could be targeted.

He issued the order “to strengthen counter-terrorism protection of energy and transport infrastructure and public gathering places, to ensure maximum coverage for critical facilities and, if necessary, to equip them with additional security measures.”

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Writing by Mark Trevelan Editing by Andrew Osborn)